


Month of Hell

by megastarstrike



Category: Dangan Ronpa - All Media Types, New Dangan Ronpa V3: Everyone's New Semester of Killing
Genre: Alternate Universe - Non-Despair (Dangan Ronpa), Confessions, Fluff, Humor, Jealousy, M/M, Oblivious, Sumb, jealous!shuuichi, ouma has friends, unintentional cockblocking
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-03-25
Updated: 2018-03-25
Packaged: 2019-04-08 01:54:46
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,790
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14094480
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/megastarstrike/pseuds/megastarstrike
Summary: Shuuichi opened his mouth to speak, only to have another voice interrupt him.“Kokichi! You told Angie to meet you here with red and pink origami paper, right?” A blur of yellow skipped into vision, holding a stack of colored paper with one hand and grabbing Kokichi’s hand with the other.Are you kidding me?________Or, Shuuichi tries to confess his feelings to Kokichi. It doesn't go as planned.





	Month of Hell

**Author's Note:**

> im sorry i just really like jealousy but i never see jealous shuuichi so. here.
> 
> huge thanks to tackycrows for betaing!

It was amazing how seventeen years of speaking a language and countless words stored in Shuuichi’s vocabulary could be erased with just a single moment.

Miu slammed the door to their classroom open, her face twisted and red from anger. Her feet stomped on the ground as she approached where Kokichi sat by the window. “You fucking asshole! Motherfucking bastard! Shitty ass brat! Stupid fucking—”

“I get it, I fucked up,” Kokichi groaned. He rolled his eyes and scoffed. “Though knowing your stupid, slutty ass, it’s probably you that fucked up.”  
  
“Well, fuck you too. You didn’t even answer my texts. Didn’t you ask for my help with the—” She cut herself off upon catching a glimpse of Shuuichi in his corner of the classroom. “Uh… SS situation?”

“Really? That’s what we’re calling it now?”

“You got a better name?”

The two argued back and forth, spouting increasingly creative insults as the students around them cringed and scooted away from them. Still, the students continued with their lives and resumed the normal levels of banter in the morning. Shuuichi’s gaze lingered on the two with a strange feeling twisting in his stomach before he moved to turn away like everyone else.

Then Miu reached down and ruffled Kokichi’s hair.

Shuuichi gripped his wrist, trying (and failing) to convince himself he didn’t want to do the same thing. Annoyance pounded at his head until all he could think about was how Kokichi had leaned into the touch before pushing her away. _Why can’t_ I _do that?_

He was well aware of the meteor-sized crush he had on Kokichi; he wasn’t stupid enough to ignore that (though that was admittedly debatable). But was he stupid enough to make a move on someone who obviously wasn’t into him?

 _No,_ Shuuichi decided as he watched Kokichi toss her hand off again. _I’m not stupid enough._

 

*

 

 _You’re just asking him to hang out after school, Shuuichi, nothing major,_ Shuuichi repeated in his head as he walked through the courtyard under the cherry blossom trees lining the sidewalk. A few students were scattered around the courtyard, some sitting at picnic tables to study and others picking the pink leaves off the trees to throw at their friends. Birds chirped under the bright blue sky, and Shuuichi couldn’t help but feel as if the world was mocking him.   
  
Kokichi sat at a blue picnic table alone with a thick binder opened in front of him. The pages were undecipherable from the distance, but a few bolded clickbait headlines were clearly visible next to pictures of hearts. The trees rustled as pink leaves landed in Kokichi’s hair, and Kokichi brushed them off with his eyebrows furrowed in annoyance.

Shuuichi’s heart stopped at the scene. _Fuck. I can’t do this._ _  
_   
His thoughts were confirmed when a familiar figure emerged from the double doors leading into the school.   
  
Kokichi turned towards the sound of the doors opening and narrowed his eyes. “There you are, Kiiboy! You’re fifty hours late!”   
  
Kiibo plopped down in the seat next to him, panting. “First, I’m only two minutes late. Second, you were the one who changed the location on me at such an inconvenient time. I had to run to get here. Besides, aren’t you the one asking me for help with the SS situation?”

“You’re seriously going with Miu’s idea? I knew I shouldn’t have asked a robot about human emotions.”

“Hey, that’s robophobic!”

“Right, right. Now help me read through all this. I need to use your robo-vision for a second.” Kokichi pushed the binder closer to Kiibo and scooted closer to him as their eyes scanned the pages.

Kiibo’s response was muted as a rush of _something_ pitted in Shuuichi’s gut, and instead of feeling discouraged, he wanted to step forward and plant a kiss on that _stupid, adorable_ —

Wait, what was he thinking?

“Oh, good afternoon, Shuuichi!” Kiibo called, snapping Shuuichi out of his trance. “What brings you to the courtyard?”  
  
Shuuichi opened his mouth to answer before being shot a smirk by Kokichi, and it occurred to him that anything he said could and would be called out as a lie. His mouth opened and closed as he searched for a lie, any lie he could get away with before realizing there wasn’t one.   
  
“So, Shuuichi?” Kokichi said, folding his arms behind his head and sending him a smile so bright it set his heart aflame. “What is it?”   
  
He ran.   
  
He could vaguely hear Kiibo scolding Kokichi for scaring him away, but it was barely audible above the sound of his heart pounding and his gasps for air. Eventually, he stopped in front of the school gates and collapsed against the brick wall.   
  
Shuuichi groaned and slammed his fist against the wall. _Really, Shuuichi? You couldn’t even ask him to hang out?_ _  
_   
What had even happened? How did he go from wanting to be brave to chickening out in a matter of seconds? What was that feeling that had possessed his thoughts?

Whatever it was, he didn’t want to think about it.  
  
Shuuichi stood up, brushed himself off, and walked away, hoping his crush wouldn’t taunt him in his dreams that night.   


*

 

“So let me get this straight,” Maki said with a sigh. “You went up to your crush to ask him to hang out, saw he was with Kiibo, got nervous when he smiled at you, and ran away?”  
  
“Yes.”   
  
“Shuuichi, you’re a dumbass.”   
  
“I know.”   
  
It was probably a mistake consulting Maki of all people about his crush, but she was the only one who would answer his phone call this late at night. Though maybe he shouldn’t have tested her patience so much. He was surprised she didn’t immediately hang up on him, and explaining his situation this way wasn’t helping his case.

“And why did you come to _me_ for this?” Maki asked.

“I don’t know.”  
  
“Wonderful. Just because you’re jealous of a robot, you decide to bother me with this?” 

Wait. Jealous?  
  
Shuuichi’s heart stopped at her words. “H-Hold on, I’m not jealous! Do you have any evidence for that?” 

The long pause on the other end was enough to convey the daggers Maki was undoubtedly glaring at the wall. “Being on the debate team is really getting to you. But fine. You want evidence? I’ll give you evidence.” Another pause followed by clacks of the keyboard. “Definition of jealousy is… the state of being jealous.”

Shuuichi couldn’t help the chuckle that escaped his mouth.  
  
“Definition of jealous is ‘inclined to or troubled by suspicions or fears of rivalry in love or aims.’”   
  
His laughter stopped. 

“Well? Is that enough evidence for you? Can I go back to sleep now?”

Shuuichi gaped as the pieces fell into place. How had he forgotten such a basic emotion? And was he seriously jealous of Miu and Kiibo of all people? “Oh my god, I think I’m actually jealous.”

“No shit, Sherlock.”

“I’m a detective! This is a common motive! How did I—oh my god…”

“Whatever. I’m done here.” Papers rustled on the other end. “Good luck with Kokichi. You’re going to need it.”

“Thanks, Maki.” Shuuichi paused as her words processed. “I never told you who my crush was.”  
  
“You’re pretty obvious. Do you really think none of us noticed who you always stare at during lunch?”   
  
Shuuichi wanted to refute her statement, but there was no evidence that supported him. “And… you’re okay with it?”   
  
“Not really, but it’s not like I can do anything about it. Besides, you seem to like being this lovesick.” She paused. “But let me know if that little shit hurts you, and I’ll hurt him.” 

“I don’t think that’ll be necessary.”  
  
“Just confess soon. You’re one of the only tolerable people at this school, and it doesn’t feel nice seeing you this pathetic.”   
  
Shuuichi smiled. “Thanks for having my back, Maki.”   
  
Maki paused as if she wanted to refute but settled on a huff. “Whatever. Goodnight.” She hung up before Shuuichi could say anything else. 

Shuuichi sighed and stared at his reflection in the darkness of the phone screen.

Now that he was finally able to place a word to his emotions, it was clear his jealousy was unfounded. Kokichi had made several jokes about being gay over the years, so he couldn’t be attracted to Miu. And with the amount of teasing he inflicted on Kiibo, it was unlikely they were anything other than good friends. Still, his jealousy couldn’t help but rear its head.

What if Kokichi hated him after all? What if their entire friendship had been a lie? What if—

Shuuichi took a deep breath.

No, all those claims were completely illogical and based on hypothetical scenarios. None of them had any shred of evidence to support them.  
  
But even if those claims were unfounded, there was still doubt surrounding Kokichi’s true feelings for him.

There was only one way to obtain that last truth bullet.  


*

 

Shuuichi wiped his palms against his pants, breathing in and out in a failing effort to calm his pounding heart.  
  
Time seemed to slow around him as he took in his surroundings, trying to stall the embarrassment he would inevitably fall victim to. His shoes clicked against the white linoleum floors of the school hallways, and he ran his fingers over the grooves of the white cement walls. A familiar purple head of hair was stationed by his usual spot near the vending machine. He leaned against the wall, his feet tapping in anticipation.   
  
Shuuichi’s heart stopped. Was he waiting for him? Did he somehow catch wind of his plans?   
  
No. As smart as Kokichi was, he wasn’t a mind reader. There was no way Kokichi would know about his plans.   
  
So Shuuichi took a deep breath and mustered all of his courage to take a step forward. “Hey, Kokichi. Do you mind if I talk to you about something?”   
  
Kokichi’s face brightened at his presence. “Good afternoon, Shuuichi! I would love to stick around and talk, but I have a date with the prime minister of Germany.” Despite his words, he made no move to walk away.   
  
Shuuichi smiled, fully aware Kokichi had a better grade than him in their government class. “You mean the chancellor? Or maybe you mean the president?”   
  
“Yeah, yeah, the chancellor. We’re best friends, you know.”   
  
Shuuichi opened his mouth to speak, only to have another voice interrupt him.   
  
“Kokichi! You told Angie to meet you here with red and pink origami paper, right?” A blur of yellow skipped into vision, holding a stack of colored paper with one hand and grabbing Kokichi’s hand with the other.

 _Are you kidding me?_   
  
A flash of panic crossed Kokichi’s face, but it was replaced with a grin within half a second. “Hey, Angie! You have the materials for our super secret project?”   
  
“Yup!” Angie’s gaze flickered to Shuuichi. “Oh, were you busy with him?”   
  
Shuuichi stared at their interlocked hands and felt his throat go dry. “Oh, um… it’s nothing.”   
  
“Are you sure?”   
  
“Yeah, just… have fun.” Shuuichi swallowed down his bitterness long enough to flash them an uncertain smile and walk away with his heart aching.   
  
“Bye, Shuuichi!” they called as he turned the corner.

Shuuichi turned around and stared down the hall, wishing Kokichi would announce it was a joke and confess his feelings before he could embarrass himself. It felt as if a giant anvil had been put on his shoulders.   
  
His body drooped like a wilted flower as he dug his phone out of his pocket and shot a quick text to Maki. _I think I’m actually jealous._   
  
Maki’s response was immediate. _No shit._

 

*

  
Shuuichi stared at the red paper flower sitting on top of the books stacked in his locker blankly, trying to recall when any of his friends learned origami. Wheels turned in his head as he went through his list of classmates.   
  
Kaito whistled and clapped a hand on his shoulder. “You’ve got a secret admirer, Shuuichi?”   
  
“I hardly think it’s a secret at this point,” Maki said, slamming her own locker shut.   
  
“Oh, you mean…”   
  
Shuuichi turned around and smiled. “Hey, Angie, thanks for the flower.”   
  
The class screeched to a halt. Everyone’s heads snapped towards his direction with varying degrees of incredulity on their faces. On the lower end of the scale was Rantarou, whose lips were quirked up into a strained smile. But on the other side of the classroom, Kokichi had slammed his forehead onto his desk, locks of purple hair obscuring his face. Tsumugi, who sat beside him, sighed and patted him on the shoulder. Kaito and Maki shut down their conversation to stare at Shuuichi.   
  
Angie raised her head from her sketchbook, blinking in confusion. “Angie didn’t… you’re welcome?”   
  
Kaito patted his shoulder again, though the force behind it was heavier. “Shuuichi, bro…”   
  
“What?” Shuuichi asked, moving to put the flower back in his locker.   
  
“You’re an idiot,” Maki said.   
  
“How so?”   
  
Before either of the two could answer, Kokichi attacked Shuuichi’s arm with a hug and shot him a bright grin. “Hey, Shuuichi! What do you think of the flower?”   
  
“It was nice of Angie to make this for me,” Shuuichi said, fighting to keep his voice calm. Was Kokichi jealous of _him_ ? “Though I can’t help but wonder why she would…”   
  
“Well, maybe she didn’t make it.”   
  
“Then who would?”   
  
The smile was wiped off Kokichi’s face, and he stared at him blankly. “Shuuichi.”   
  
“Yes?”   
  
“Who was hanging out with Angie with red paper yesterday?”

“That would be…” Shuuichi’s eyes widened. “You made this for me?”

Kokichi grinned and released his arm as Shuuichi tensed. “Nishishi! That was a lie! Angie totally made it for you, not me.”  
  
Shuuichi scanned his face, taking note of the way Kokichi hid his palms from view. He smiled and held the flower closer to his chest. “I see. Thanks for the flower, Kokichi. I’m glad it was from you.”   
  
Kokichi froze, his eyes wide and face dusted with a light pink. He hid his embarrassment with a grin and turned away with his arms folded behind his head. “That was _sooo_ cheesy. Don’t tell me you’re falling for me or something.”   
  
“D-Don’t worry, I’m not.” And that was true. He couldn’t fall for someone he already fell for.   
  
Thankfully, the distinction was enough for Kokichi to not catch his true feelings. He walked away, and his touch lingered like the last hints of summer as the world transitioned to autumn.   
  
Shuuichi gripped his arm, already missing the contact. He sighed as the stares of their classmates moved elsewhere and Kaito and Maki resumed their bickering.   
  
There had to be a better way to execute this.   


*

 

“So why the hell do you need the little brat’s number again?”  
  
“We, um…” Shuuichi scrambled for a lie. “We have a group project. I need his number to contact him about it.”   
  
Miu stared at him with furrowed eyebrows. Shuuichi didn’t have to be a detective to know she didn’t believe him in the slightest _._ “He didn’t say anything about a group project. What class?”   
  
“AP literature.”   
  
“Nice try, dumbass, Kokichi’s in AP language.”   
  
“Uh…”   
  
Miu sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose. “Okay, listen, why do you need his number from _me_ ? Do you know how many times I masturbate per day? Wrong person to ask about this kind of shit.”   
  
“I _would_ ask him myself, but I doubt I could get him alone,” Shuuichi spat, bitterness seeping into his voice. He softened his tone upon seeing Miu flinch. “Sorry. I understand if he doesn’t want me to have his number. If that’s the case, I’ll never ask again.”   
  
“Are you fucking kidding me? He’d cum in his pants if you texted him.”   
  
“... What?”   
  
“Yeah, he’s wanted your number for a while now.” Miu held out her hand. “Give it here.”   
  
Shuuichi opened his phone to the contacts page and hesitantly handed it to her. “Are you sure you don’t need to ask him first?”   
  
Miu nodded and waved him off as she typed in the digits. “Yeah, it’s fucking fine. But I do have one favor to ask you.”   
  
He fought back a cringe, his mind flashing through each possibility of favors someone like Miu could ask from him. “What would that be?”   
  
“Don’t fuck things up.”   
  
“Huh? What are you talking about?”   
  
“Don’t fuck things up with him. You know exactly what I’m talking about.” Miu shoved the phone back in his hand with more force than necessary. “He’s a little shit, but he’s our little shit, alright?”   
  
“... I still don’t know what you’re talking about, but I’ll try not to mess things up.”   
  
“Good.” She slung her backpack over her shoulder. “See you later, Pooichi.” She left the school, leaving behind nothing but a confused Shuuichi.   
  
_Don’t fuck things up with him? What does that mean?_   Her words remained on Shuuichi’s mind as he walked home.

But he knew exactly what it meant. _Don’t fuck things up_ meant there was a sliver of hope Kokichi might like him back, hope that his pain wasn’t wasted. It was a tiny flame, but it was more than enough to warm Shuuichi’s heart.   


*

 

Shuuichi fidgeted with the cuffs of his sleeves as he leaned against the brick walls of the school, regretting every choice he had made that brought him to today. The text he had sent Kokichi to meet him was still fresh in his mind. _There’s no way this can’t work, right? Not many people come to school this early._ _  
_   
Finally, a familiar figure skipped into the courtyard. It stopped, scanning the area before approaching Shuuichi. “Good morning, Shuuichi. What did you need me for?” His eyes sparkled. “Are you here to blackmail me? Threaten me? Kill me?”   
  
“Wh-What? No! Kokichi, I’m not going to—”   
  
“You’re so mean! You pull this on me just as I think we’re becoming friends!” Kokichi sobbed, his wails so loud Shuuichi was sure it could be heard across the world.   
  
“No, it’s just…” Shuuichi took Kokichi’s hands, bringing the fake sobbing to an end and earning a raised eyebrow. He took a deep breath and mustered up as much courage as he could. “I-I wanted to ask you if—”   
  
“Kokichi! Just the right timing, I need you to try something out for me!”   
  
Kokichi ripped his hands out of Shuuichi’s grip and turned to the new voice, a hint of annoyance in his tone. “Hi, Tsumugi. Can’t you get Angie to do it? We’re pretty much the same height, you know.”   
  
“Maybe, but this one would plainly look amazing on you.” The smile on Tsumugi’s face faded upon seeing Shuuichi’s hands held out. “Oh, uh… am I interrupting something?”   
  
_Yes, yes, you are,_ was what Shuuichi wanted to say, but he held his tongue and reined his frustration back. Still, he couldn’t help but allow a hint of bitterness to seep into his voice. “No, it’s nothing. Go have fun, Kokichi.”   
  
“Great! Let’s go!” Tsumugi grabbed Kokichi’s hand and dragged him away.   
  
Kokichi walked along with her but shot a concerned glance at Shuuichi before disappearing behind a corner.   
  
Shuuichi sighed and buried his face in his hands.   
  
Even with the guarantee that Kokichi would arrive to school with the goal of meeting Shuuichi, he hadn’t gotten the chance to speak with him for five minutes before someone interrupted them. But he supposed he should give himself some credit; he _had_ almost confessed, after all.   
  
But it wasn’t enough.   
  
Shuuichi walked into the school, gathering his thoughts as he plotted out what couldn’t fail.   


*

 

After the longest day of his life, Shuuichi grabbed his books and rushed towards Kokichi, almost knocking a stack of papers off the desk, but he couldn’t afford to care. He waved a quick apology to the person at the desk before slamming his hands down on Kokichi’s desk.  
  
Kokichi seemed unfazed by his presence, staring up at him with an expectant smile.   
  
“D-Do you want to hang out with me right now?” Shuuichi asked, his throat suddenly dry and fingernails digging into his palms. “No interruptions, just us?”   
  
Kokichi’s eyes sparkled as he leaned forward. “Wow, are you asking me out on a date? How bold of you, Shuuichi!”   
  
“I-It’s not a date!” Shuuichi sputtered. His face burned, but that couldn’t stop him from adding his next words. “But… But I guess it can be if you want it to be.   
  
Kokichi turned away, though his ears were tinged red. “Well, where are we going? If you bore me, I just might kill you.”   
  
“Sure.”   
  
The two left class, Kokichi snickering as Shuuichi struggled to place his books into his backpack. After he managed to zip up his backpack and stuff it into his locker, they wandered the school with Kokichi telling him “true tales” that happened in the school’s rooms. Even if the validity of his stories were questionable, Shuuichi couldn’t help but be enraptured in each tale, smiling as he pointed out the inconsistencies in each story that would lead to its reveal as a lie.   
  
The sky was a soft orange by the time they had stepped into the courtyard. Pink leaves fell from the trees, dotting the stone sidewalk with petals. The courtyard was empty. Finally, no one would interrupt them.   
  
“Hey, Kokichi! There you are!” another voice called out.   
  
Or not.   
  
Frustration boiled in his gut as Kokichi turned to face the voice, though a flash of annoyance crossed his face. “Hey, Rantarou! What do you need me for?”   
  
Rantarou clapped a hand on Kokichi’s shoulder, making Shuuichi’s fists clench. “We need someone to help us move a few things into a new classroom. Can you help us?”   
  
Shuuichi’s body moved before he could stop himself. He grabbed Kokichi’s hand and yanked him out of Rantarou’s grip. His words came out cold and steely as he met Rantarou’s eyes with a glare. “Actually, he was spending time with me.”   
  
Everything stopped. Their surroundings froze around them. An awkward silence passed as both Rantarou and Kokichi blinked.   
  
Shuuichi was the first to react, releasing Kokichi’s hand and taking a step back as his eyes widened in horror. “I-I’m so sorry, I don’t know what came over me! You can definitely leave if you want to.” He bowed his head, stopping halfway when laughter bubbled out of Rantarou’s throat.

“Man, Shuuichi, I never knew you had it in you,” Rantarou said through his laughter. He shushed Shuuichi before he could stutter out another apology. “It’s fine, I can always find someone else. Have fun on your date, okay?” His laughter faded as he patted Kokichi’s head. He left the courtyard before either of the two could respond.  
  
Shuuichi screwed his eyes shut and bowed his head again. There was no way his actions were redeemable now. “I’m so sorry for that outburst. You can leave if you want to.”   
  
“Shuuichi,” Kokichi said, his voice firm. “Look at me.”   
  
Shuuichi slowly opened his eyes expecting a scowl, only to see sparkling eyes and a bright grin beaming back at him.   
  
Kokichi giggled and pinched his cheeks. “Aw, was my little Shuuichi jealous?”   
  
“I-I wasn’t jealous!” It was a blatant lie, but maybe he could get away with—   
  
“A lie if I’ve ever seen one.”   
  
Damn.   
  
“So if you said you weren’t jealous and that was a lie…” Kokichi leaned in closer with a devious smirk on his lips. “That means you must have been jealous, right?”   
  
Shuuichi took a step back, trying not to think about how close their faces were. “Uh… maybe?”   
  
“That’s so adorable! You must have really fallen hard for me, huh?”   
  
“Yeah.”   
  
Kokichi blinked, the smirk wiped off his face. “What?”   
  
“Kokichi, I…” Shuuichi took a deep breath and grounded himself. There was no escape now, no matter how much his mind screamed for him to run away again. His heart had won the battle, and there was no way it was backing down to unfounded hypothetical scenarios. “For the past month, I’ve been trying to say this to you, but everyone just kept interrupting us.”   
  
“What, you’re secretly a drug lord?”   
  
“No—”   
  
“You killed a man for a ticket to an MCR concert?”   
  
“What?”   
  
“No, that’s wrong. You murdered someone over a game of Monopoly!”   
  
“I’m in love with you!”   
  
Kokichi’s eyes widened, and his mouth snapped shut, cutting off whatever he was about to say next.   
  
It was satisfying to see Kokichi without a smug smirk on his face for once, but Shuuichi had to continue, even with his eyes shut again. “I’ve had a crush on you since half a year ago. I… I understand if you never want to see me again, but this is the truth, and I would like you to take it seriously.”

Silence. Then Kokichi finally spoke.  
  
“Shuuichi Saihara, you’re an idiot.”   
  
Shuuichi opened his eyes back up, only to see he was the target of Kokichi’s glare. His heart shattered into two, and his voice fell to a whisper. “What?”   
  
Kokichi faced him with his face flushed red and scowl on his lips. It was the angriest Shuuichi had ever seen him. “Did you seriously not notice my friends and I acting weird all month? I thought you were just ignoring me!”

Oh.

 _Oh._   
  
Shuuichi couldn’t believe what he was hearing. The only thought on his head for a month was Kokichi, and _he_ was the one ignoring him? It was so far from the truth it might as well have been on another planet. “I wasn’t ignoring you!”   
  
“No, you weren’t. You were just too blind to notice me flirting with you.”   
  
“Wait, you were flirting with me? I was flirting with you!”   
  
“When?”   
  
Shuuichi brought his hand over his mouth, collecting his memories of the past month. “Well, I asked you to hang out with me alone, didn’t I?”   
  
“Yeah? You know what I did? I made you a flower, hugged you, said you were falling for me…” Kokichi listed off the numerous things he had done throughout the month, counting each event on his fingers. “How did you not get that?”   
  
“I thought you were joking!”   
  
“I wasn’t!”   
  
Shuuichi sighed and ran his hand through his hair, giving Kokichi a soft smile. The adrenaline from the confession had faded until all that remained was resignation and warmth building in his chest as he gazed at the person he loved. “We’re both idiots, aren’t we?”   
  
“You’re the idiot here,” Kokichi said, pointing an accusing finger at him. “I’m still mad. You’d better make it up to me right now.”

“And how would I do that?”

“Taking me out on a date. It’s the only way I’ll forgive you.”

Shuuichi coughed. His face burned bright red, but his heart jumped at the confirmation his feelings were mutual. He hesitated before saying his next words. “Y-Yeah, I’ll do that, but on one condition.”  
  
“What is it?”   
  
“C-Can I kiss you?”   
  
Kokichi fell silent, his eyes shifting to look anywhere but Shuuichi. Finally, he nodded and leaned forward, his lips brushing against Shuuichi’s cheek.   
  
Shuuichi’s heart pounded so loudly he was certain anyone within a mile of them could hear it. His hand reached up to where Kokichi had kissed him, but something was missing. “I meant like…” He cut himself off to cup Kokichi’s cheek, brushing his thumb on his bottom lip. “C-Can I try something?”   
  
Then Kokichi dove forward and gripped Shuuichi’s arms, sealing their lips together. His eyes were screwed shut and his face dusted a light pink.   
  
Shuuichi pressed against him, fluttering his eyes shut. His surroundings disappeared around him, and there was only the warmth that was Kokichi. The kiss was chaste, almost shy, but it was more than enough for him.   
  
Finally, Kokichi pulled away, purple eyes meeting gold. His lips quirked up into a soft smile. “Nishishi, looks like I really stole your heart, huh?”   
  
Shuuichi smiled and brought his fingers over his lips. He felt so light he could be swept away by the wind at any moment, and he would still be giddy. “Yeah… you really did.”   
  
“Jeez, you’re so embarrassing,” Kokichi whined, taking his hand. “Let’s go on that date now.”   
  
Shuuichi laced their fingers together as they walked out of the school together. “Where do you want to go?”   
  
“Let’s rob a bank!”   
  
“Ice cream?”   
  
“Fine, I guess that could work,” Kokichi grumbled, but he couldn’t hide the joy shining in his eyes or the warmth of his hand, and neither could Shuuichi.   
  
Joy danced in Shuuichi’s heart as Kokichi rambled about another story he was sure was a lie. And there was nowhere else he would rather be.   
  
The month of hell had paid off.   


**Author's Note:**

> SS situation name: teaser for another oneshot im working on
> 
> origami: i have this one friend who does origami all the time, especially the little flowers. I also used to dabble in origami ~~"dabble" i say as i literally have a huge stack of origami paper behind me~~
> 
> thanks for reading!


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